Coaching Certifications
All coaches are encouraged to acquire their certifications, online, through USA Baseball. Please register at SportDev.org as a first step to earn your FREE certifications. The process will involve watching short videos/tutorials featuring D1 college coaches, MLB players and personnel, followed by a quiz for each section. In-house coaches should earn their A certification, while travel and Minors coaches should earn their B, or even C certifications. These programs will provide you the tools and knowledge necessary for a complete understanding of the game, along with details on offense, defense, pitching and catching, and offer information on how to handle many different situations that may arise during the season. This will involve some time and dedication on your part, but is well worth it. It will greatly benefit our coaches, players and the organization as a whole. Get certified today!
Volunteer Coaching Procedures
Persons interested in volunteering for a coaching position for any of our travel and in-house programs, please follow the instructions within the "create an account" process. All coaches, MTBSA board members and volunteers directly interfacing with players, are required to complete criminal background checks and receive state clearance in accordance with PA Law BEFORE they participate in ANY activity related to the MTBSA programs. Below are convenient links to obtain:
• Pennsylvania Criminal History Records Check
• Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Check
• FBI Criminal History Background Check OR volunteer affidavit
All required document PDFs must be turned into your league director before any practice is held. It is recommended that you save your clearances, as they can be used for other organizations. League director names can be found by clicking here.
IMPORTANT: MTBSA began maintaining a record of the clearances in 2016. A list of those whose clearances have not expired will be given to the league directors. If you are on that list, you do not need to complete any clearances or the affidavit. Those who are not on the list and/or whose clearances have expired will need to complete all three steps.
Criminal History Records Check
A criminal history records check is FREE, and it is good for five years. To obtain the clearance, go to this link:
https://epatch.state.pa.us/Home.jsp
Child Abuse History Check
A child abuse history check is FREE, and it is good for five years. You will need to create an account. To obtain the clearance, go to this link:
https://www.compass.state.pa.us/cwis/public/home
FBI Criminal History Background Check OR Volunteer Affidavit
If you have lived outside of Pennsylvania within the past ten years, a current fingerprint-based FBI Criminal Background Check is required. There is a fee for this clearance. Although MTBSA will reimburse you for this clearance, we ask that you consider this as a donation. For information on how to obtain this clearance, go to this link:
http://www.keepkidssafe.pa.gov/resources/clearances/fbifinger/index.htm
If you have not lived outside of Pennsylvania in the past ten years, you will need to complete a Volunteer Affidavit attesting that you have been a continual resident, which can be found under the “Safety” tab on the MTBSA website or by clicking here for the MTBSA Volunteer Affidavit
Completed documentation can also be forwarded to the MTBSA. Send file electronically to [email protected]Questions about this process should be forwarded to [email protected]